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DIY CCF Pad-Space Blanket Combo for WBBB

I just got a WBBB 1.1 dbl, and am using my Big Agnes sleeping bag with it. Because both the sleeping bag and the hammock have "sleeves," this is what I have been doing the few times I've hung out this winter, with temperatures down in the 20's.

I put my 20 inch wide Big Agnes Insulated Air Core pad in the sleeve of the sleeping bag. This in itself is a lot of insulation, but more is needed for winter hanging - both under the Air Core pad and along the edges of the sleeping bag, where the insulation gets compressed by the hammock.

So I took a couple of $5.00 Walmart blue 1/2 inch CCF pads and a $2.00 mylar Emergency Space Blanket and fabricated something that looks like a Speer Pad Extender. I cut one pad into thirds, and then connected these back together with pieces of para-cord. I put a drop of Superglue on each knot, so that it wouldn't come undone.

Next, and cut four 10 x 20 pieces and two 5 x 20 pieces out of the 2nd CCF pad, and attached these "wings" in pairs to each of the three sections with para-cord.

I also spray glued pieces of Emergency blanket onto what would be the top side of the pieces of CCF pad, and duck-taped the edges for added strength and durability.

The result: a pad that I can put in the sleeve of the WBBB, and which contours to the shape of the hammock perfectly. The BA Insulated Air Core pad and the sleeping bag nestle right into it, and the sides of the sleeping bag have an insulated wall around them.

Note: the "wings" are shorter than each of the three inner sections. This works perfectly, as the wings come together when the pad is in the hammock, due to the curved shape that the center three sections assume.

When I remove the CCF pad from the hammock, I can fold the "wings" inward,

and then fold the three inner sections together, making a light-weight package about 20 x 24 x 3 inches.

I can carry this on the back of my motorcycle without any concern for it getting wet, as it's all CCF.It also is flexible enough to curve around the outside of my backpack when hiking instead of motorcycle camping.

Total weight of the CCF pad: my guess is: under a pound.

The real low temperature test of this arrangement will be at the Colorado Winter Hang in the end of February, up above 9,000 ft. in the Rockies. It should be pretty cold at that altitude.

I'm thinking and hoping that in the summer, here in the Rockies, the inflated Insulated Air Core pad might be enough bottom insulation all by itself. - I will find out, I am sure!

Last edited by Kaliram; 02-03-2010 at 23:36.

"Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything."
...Charles Kuralt

Just FYI, the edges of the Duct Tape you used to secure the space blanket to the pad will eventually start to come up around the edges, possibly leaving adhesive on your hammock or gear. Barge Cement will make an extremely strong and permanent bound between the SB and the CCF and won't leave a sticky residue behind once it dries .

“Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it." -Terry Pratchett

Just FYI, the edges of the Duct Tape you used to secure the space blanket to the pad will eventually start to come up around the edges, possibly leaving adhesive on your hammock or gear. Barge Cement will make an extremely strong and permanent bound between the SB and the CCF and won't leave a sticky residue behind once it dries .

Would 100MPH/Airplane Tape have that same problem? I've heard it holds much better than duct tape.

lets see it all loaded onto your bike!
what kind of bike do you have?
..... and I gather a cross post to advrider as well!

'09 KLR 650. I'll gladly post pix of it all loaded onto the bike, and cross post to ADVrider.com, but ask a bit of patience, as I have 2" of solid ice going from the garage all the way to the road right now - The Rockies aren't exactly the place to do winter camping on a motorcycle!

We do have a good group doing a Colorado Rockies winter hang at 9,000+ at the end of the month (no Motorcycles, I believe!), and I'll post a report of how my pad works out. I've tested it at 20 degrees, and it's been fine. The end-of-month hang at altitude could go down to well below zero.

"Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything."
...Charles Kuralt